Curriculum Music

What is the National Plan for Music?

The refreshed National Plan for Music (NPME) was launched in June 2022 and demonstrated how music should be delivered in ALL schools. The vision of the new plan is:

To enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have
the opportunity to progress their musical interests, including professionally.

 

This means all children and young people:

  • experience a broad musical culture in schools and education settings, accessing high quality curricular and co-curricular music, and progressing into appropriate qualifications

  • access the expertise, instruments, technology and facilities they need to learn, create and share their music

  • engage with a range of enrichment opportunities to play and sing, to perform, create and experience live music, and have their music heard

  • have opportunities to progress their musical interests and talents, and routes into a variety of music careers

  • are supported by a skilled and dynamic workforce

 

A high-quality school music education consists of three distinct, but interlinked areas of provision:

The new National Plan (NPME) sets out the vision for all schools to offer:

  • timetabled curriculum music of at least one hour each week of the school year for Key Stages 1 to 3

  • access to lessons across a range of instruments and voice

  • A school choir and/or vocal ensemble

  • A school instrumental ensemble/band/group

  • Space for rehearsals and individual practice

  • Termly school performance

  • Opportunities to enjoy live performances at least once a year

 

Music Curriculum Support and Guidance for Schools

The information below sets out how Southampton and IOW Music Hub can support your school to create and implement an effective music curriculum, from it’s conception to delivery. The documents and guidance are designed to support schools in developing their school music offer and to help you evaluate and assess your current music provision.

Music Development Plans

The new NPME states that every school should have a Music Development Plan that captures the curricular and co-curricular offer and sets out how it will be staffed and funded. We have produced the following guidance documents to help schools write their Music Development Plan.

 
 

Planning your Music Curriculum

Planning your music curriculum can be a daunting task. The documents below provide a framework designed to answer the questions ‘Why this? Why now?’ Using the progression framework will help you create your own curriculum whilst providing evidence of the progression of knowledge and skills. (Procedural and declarative knowledge).

Further support is available from the Music Hub to help create your curriculum.

Please contact lynn.beckwith@southampton.gov.uk and you will be signposted to a curriculum specialist to help you.

 

CPD for School Staff - helping you implement your curriculum

Southampton and IOW Music Hub is committed to supporting the development of music in your school. We can help provide CPD opportunities for school staff, which can be offered ever as stand alone services or as part of our programmes and projects.

We also run a termly primary music network meeting for music leads and music co-ordinators. We are particularly keen to help share examples of good practice – If you or your school have a particular expertise in music that you would be willing to share with other schools, then please do let us know!

For more information regarding the music network meetings please contact Lynn Beckwith: lynn.beckwith@southampton.gov.uk

 

New Ofsted Framework & Subject Deep Dives

It is likely that the following might be key lines of enquiry based on the new focus on Intent, Implementation and Impact:

  • INTENT: What are you trying to achieve through your music curriculum? How is it structed?

  • IMPLEMENTATION: How is the school’s curriculum being delivered?

  • IMPACT: What difference is the school’s curriculum making?

There is also evidence that questions and observations include:

  • How to demonstrate ‘sequencing’ in Music? (Why this? Why now?)

  • How to show/evidence progression of musical knowledge and understanding?

  • How do you teach your curriculum in order that children will become more musical?

  • How does a school support children who get behind? Or children with SEND?

When observing music lessons, Ofsted will want to find out:

  • How well the teachers understand the curriculum they are delivering

  • Why they are teaching this particular lesson and how does it fit into the SOW

  • Whether pupils pupils are learning and becoming better

  • Whether staff have the skills they need in order to teach the curriculum


VIDEO LINKS

  • Why just ‘doing’ music isn’t enough – presented by Mark Phillips HMI, Ofsted Lead for Music. The webinar explores the Ofsted framework, the importance of a well planned sequenced music curriculum, deep dives and much more!

    Please click here to access the webinar via Music Mark.

 

  • The music research review and the role of the three interrelated pillars of music education. (video link HERE)

 

  • The music research review and what effective music education looks like. (video link HERE) 



 



 


 

Music Mark

We are delighted to be able to offer all Southampton and IOW Schools for FREE membership of Music Mark.

Music Mark is the UK Association for Music Education, championing and supporting access to music for all children and young people.

As well as recognition of your commitment to music education, the benefits of being a Music Mark School include:

  • A certificate so that you can show off your achievement

  • Use of the exclusive Music Mark School logo

  • Music Mark Members Area accounts for you and colleagues within your school which will enable you to access resources and training sessions

  • Emailed newsletters to keep you up to date with the latest national and regional sector news, events and resources

For more information on how to receive your FREE Music Mark Membership please fill out this expression of interest form and we will forward you the details of how to sign up for this academic year (2023-24).